Beading Glossary
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Amber |
Fossilized organic resin of ancient tree |
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B |
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Bayonet Clasp |
A classic among clasps: two trim tubes interlocked together |
Bead Board |
Helpful equipment to line up pearls and bead when designing chains and jewelry |
Bead Cord |
More than just a common thread: GRIFFIN Bead Cords receive the precise number of twists under optimal tension during their manufacture in order to prevent fraying as well as tangling and knotting |
Bead Cord Cutter |
A micro serrated cutter especially made for cutting High Performance and Nylon Bead Cords |
Bead Cord/Wire End |
Ending pressed firmly together on Bead Cord ends with small diameter |
Beading Needle |
Extra flexible needle for stringing beads on Bead Cord threats. Made out of one stainless steel wire, twisted together with a round eye |
Bead Reamer |
A tool for filing and smoothing the inside of an abrasive bead. GRIFFIN reamers come with three diamond coated bits. They should be used with water for lubrication |
Bell Cap |
A traditional and very popular ending, used to achieve a durable and elegant positioning of the final knot at the clasp. The wire or cord ends are invisibly glued into the Bell Cap with shellac |
Bouillon |
Very fine, flexible and tightly coiled wire, that gives very professional finished ends to necklaces by being pulled over the end of Bead Cords |
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Carat |
The unit of weight used for precious stones. One carat is equal to one-fifth of a gram. Also a measurement of fitness in gold. Pure gold is expressed as 24k |
Carded Bead Cord |
GRIFFIN Bead Cord on cards have a special stainless steel beading needle attached, which does away with cumbersome threading and doubling of the thread during stringing |
Chain Nose Pliers |
The two sides of the pliers taper to a point. It is used in wire wrapping with Craft Wire |
Charms |
Small ornaments worn as pendants or on a bracelet |
Choker |
A tight fitting necklace worn close to the base of the neck, length 35,5 - 41 cm |
Craft Wire | Copper wire that can be shaped with pliers |
Crimp Beads | Round metal beads that attach pearls and stones firmly to the wire or Bead Cord without the use of glue. Crimp Beads are either pressed together with pliers or added loosely as spacers |
Crimp Tubes | Tube metal beads that attach pearls and stones firmly to the wire or Bead Cord without the use of glue. Crimp Tubes are pressed together with special pliers |
Crossed Tweezers | Tweezers with self-closing tip to free up one hand during beading |
Cutters | There are many types of cutters. It important to choose the right type for the job: Hard Wire Cutter are most suitable for Stainless Steel Wires, Bead Cord Cutters are perfect for a clean cut of all Bead Cords |
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Diameter | A word to describe either the thickness of a cord or a wire or the size of beads and bead holes |
Diamond Quality | Extra soft and smooth silk thread quality of Griffin Bead Cord on spools |
Dog Collar | A broad, choker like necklace, often consisting of numerous parallel strands of beads or pearls |
Double Eye Tag | Double metal ring made out of one wire. Used either as links between bead tips and clasps |
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Elastic Cord | An elastic cord, ideal to make elastic pieces of jewelry that can be slipped on such as bracelets, hair bands and children's jewelry |
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Finding | Findings include Jump Rings, Clasps, Bouillons, Crimps and Endings, to name a few |
Fishhook Earwires | Earwire without closure |
Flat Nose Pliers | The two sides of the pliers form rectangles |
Friction Clasp | Extremely simple and basic type of a clasp |
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Gauge | A standard measure for the thickness of a wire: the higher the number, the thinner the wire is |
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Habotai Silk | Especially smooth and almost white pure silk made in China |
Headpins with pad |
Practical little helpers for pendants on necklaces or earrings |
HiFlex Nylon Coating | A transparent extra flexible and transparent coating for Stainless Steel Wires |
High Performance Bead Cord | Bead Cord that consists of high-tech fibers with a specially dense molecular structure. Its tensile strenght is 15 times stronger than steel and therefore the strongest fibres of the world |
Hinged Earwings | Earwires with liftable closure |
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Illusion Cord | A crystal-clear nylon thread especially developed for the manufacture of jewelry. It is eminently suited for the creation of necklaces which incorporate seemingly "floating" pieces of jewelry |
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Jewelry Polishing Cloth | Polishing cloth suitable for the general cleaning and polishing of jewelry |
Jewelry Ribbon | Loosely interwoven fine wires with lacquer finish, formed to a ribbon |
Jump Ring | Metal ring used either as a link between bead tip and clasp or as a connector between beads alone |
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Knotted necklace | A necklace made of Bead Cord, that is knotted continuous between the single pearls or stones. The reasons are grater safety, increased flexibility and better protection of the pearls against each other |
Knotting Tweezers | Tweezers designed to position and tighten knots precisely at knotted pearl necklaces |
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Lobster Clasp | Variation of Spring Ring clasps, but easier to use |
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Manchette Bracelet | A cross with four broad arms of equal length, with tips that look like inward pointing arrowheads |
Matinee length | A single row necklace ranging from 30 inches to 35 inches |
Matt surface | Surface with a dull finish, particularly on metals |
Micro Crimper | Special Pliers for crimping small tube crimps |
Modelling Wire | Color coated wire based on copper, can be easily and effortlessly be shaped |
Monofilament | Single strand threat like Illusion Cord |
Multi-Strand End | Ending for jewelry made of multiple strands |
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Natural Silk Bead Cord | Traditional material for stringing beads for centuries. 100% natural silk Bead Cord is made exclusively from the high-grade filament of the silk cocoon. These threads have the characteristic lustre and irresistible natural beauty |
Necklace | Closely fitting jewelry worn around the neck in classical shape, usually multi-strand. Length 30 - 33 cm |
Nickel | A silver-white metal popular for plating, because it is malleable and resists oxidation. The most common of metal allergies |
Nylon Bead Cord | A strong, specially treated polyamide thread with a good tensile strength. Stretches only about 3 - 4% under tention and return to its original length when released. |
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Opal | Transmits some light and shows shifting colors |
Opaque | Non transparent, does not transmit light |
Opera length | Single row classical pearl chain in traditional evening length (71 - 86 cm) |
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Patina | The coloration that occurs in certain metals when they are exposed at length to the atmosphere |
Pearl | An organic gemstone made of calcium carbonate with organic matter. Formed when a fore of sand or parasite becomes trapped inside a shell of a mollusk |
Pearl Caring Cloth | Extra soft and free of chemical cleaning agents polishing cloth |
Pearl Tweezers | Tweezers with specially shaped cup tips to safely pick |
Pendant | An ornament suspended from a single chain |
Polishing | The process that increases shine and eliminates flaws. |
Posts | Classic ear ornament with attached closure |
Precious Stones | Rare and costly gems: diamonds, emeralds and sapphires |
Princess length | Necklace worn just under the collarbone, ideal for attaching pendants |
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Queen length | Single row pearl chain which can be slung around the neck three times, length 88 cm and more |
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Rhodium | An expensive whitish-gray metallic element from the platin family |
Rope Necklace | Length 40 - 45 inches |
Round Bead Clasp | A elegant round clasp frequently used for classical pearl necklaces with a strong magnet inside to hold the clasp together as a secure unit |
Round Nose Pliers | The tips of the pliers are two graduated cylinders. The whole length of the two cylinders fit together |
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Seed Beads | Small round glass beads that range in a number of sizes, colors and finishes. The larger the number, the smaller the bead |
Semiprecious Stone | Natural stones, that generally have a lower value than precious stones: amethyst, carnelian, garnet |
Shellac | This well tried glue is perfect for fixing endings to Bead Cord and wire ends. It has a low melting point and dries quickly and hard |
S-Hook Clasp | Decorative interlocking hook with two linking rings or double eyelets |
Slide Lock Clasp | Multi strand clasp with two cylinders sliding together securely into each other |
Silver Care Cloth | Polishing cloth, that prevents silver parts from becoming tarnish with time. |
Snap Lock Clasp | A mechanical locking round or oval clasp |
Spacer | Connector to maintain the separation of multiple strand necklaces |
Split Ring | Multiple looped ending suited to attach clasps to pieces of jewelry or to connect separate pieces of jewelry. The opening and closing Split Rings is made easy with special Split Ring Pliers |
Split Ring Pliers | A pair of pliers with curved nose to open Split Rings |
Spring Ring | A popular and safe ring clasp with a spring inside |
Squeeze Capsules | Endings that bundle one or more strands of Bead Cord or Wire, so they can be connected to clasps |
Stainless Steel Wire | A real steel cable in miniature especially made for bead stringing. Griffin Stainless Steel Wire are all nylon coated to protect the wire structure against untwisting |
Stringing Tweezers | Perfect workmanship for precise holding and positioning of beads, cords and wires |
Super Glue | Quickly bonding liquid glue on general sale |
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Tube End | Ending for wire ends, which will be glued to it wit a special glue |
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Wire Guardian | Ending that protects wire ends against breakage at the clasp |